A sign sits outside the Harris County Criminal Justice Center Monday, June 4, 2018 in Houston. The courthouse, which had been closed since Hurricane Harvey, reopened for the first time on Monday. (Michael Ciaglo / Houston Chronicle) less

A sign sits outside the Harris County Criminal Justice Center Monday, June 4, 2018 in Houston. The courthouse, which had been closed since Hurricane Harvey, reopened for the first time on Monday. (Michael ... more

Photo: Michael Ciaglo, Houston Chronicle / Houston Chronicle

Photo: Michael Ciaglo, Houston Chronicle / Houston Chronicle

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A sign sits outside the Harris County Criminal Justice Center Monday, June 4, 2018 in Houston. The courthouse, which had been closed since Hurricane Harvey, reopened for the first time on Monday. (Michael Ciaglo / Houston Chronicle) less

A sign sits outside the Harris County Criminal Justice Center Monday, June 4, 2018 in Houston. The courthouse, which had been closed since Hurricane Harvey, reopened for the first time on Monday. (Michael ... more

Houston’s criminal courthouse, which has been shuttered since being damaged last year in Hurricane Harvey, partially re-opened Monday to accommodate suspects who are detained in the Harris County Jail.

The top four floors have re-opened to the public for jail dockets of felony and misdemeanor defendants.

“It’s a step in the right direction,” said David Mitcham, trial bureau chief of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

Monday got off to a slow start, however, with snags getting suspects from the jail to courts though a secured walkway over Buffalo Bayou, officials said.

The secured access is the heart of Harris County’s criminal justice system because it allows inmates charged with everything from misdemeanors to capital murder to be brought to courtrooms where their lawyers can meet with prosecutors and appear before judges, probation officers and clerks.

Hurricane Harvey devastated the 20-story secured courthouse after storm water caused pumps to malfunction, sending water through the building, bursting pipes and flooding floors far above the street flooding.

Since then, judges have had to hold limited dockets in the basement of the jail.

County Judge Ed Emmett and state District Judge Vanessa Velasquez, the head administrative judge, outlined the interim plan at a press conference on May 18.

On Monday, Velasquez was on the bench in a 19th floor courtroom accepting plea deals and setting trials.

“You want to go to trial?” she told one inmate. “You got it. You are set for trial on Aug. 9.”

Velasquez acknowledged the snags and said the new system beats the alternative.

“We’ve been working out some glitches, but overall once we got inmates delivered, we’ve been able to accomplish a lot,” she said. “Overall, it’s been a good day.”

Suspects who have been arrested on felonies and serious misdemeanors either stay in jail or make bail and appear in substitute courtrooms in other downtown courthouses.

For suspects who remain in jail, the county’s 22 district judges and 16 misdemeanor judges will have access to at least 15 standard courtrooms. Half of the 22 felony court judges and their staffs will use the courtrooms on alternate weeks.

Defense attorneys welcomed the re-opening, even if it is just a partial fix until the building is renovated, because they will no longer have to go to docket calls in the jail basement.

“We were all giddy to get back in,” said defense lawyer Juanita Jackson.